1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a seating unit for use in a vehicle and more particularly to a center member for a bench seat assembly which can be used as an armrest and which includes at least one storage compartment.
2. Discussion
With increased vehicle usage, traffic congestion, urban sprawl and the general acceptance of longer commutes between home and the workplace, the time which vehicle owners are spending in their vehicles is on the increase. Observing this, many vehicle owners attempt to use their vehicle as either a second office for conducting business affairs or as an extension of their home to relax while commuting. As such, vehicle occupants are tending to transport an increasing amount of gear, such as cellular phones, dictation machines, compact discs and cassette tapes. As such, there is a general need and desire to make the interior of the vehicle as comfortable and convenient as possible.
One manner of improving the convenience and comfort of the vehicle interior is to include storage compartments within the seating system of the vehicle which would facilitate the storage of such gear while being readily accessible by the vehicle driver without the need to stop the vehicle and rummage through the glove box or under the driver's seat.
Recognizing this problem, several auxiliary seats for use in motor vehicles have been developed over the years which include one or more storage compartments. Frequently, these seats did not blend well with the vehicle interior, were not robust in their design and did not offer storage areas which could be conveniently accessed by the vehicle driver while operating the vehicle. Furthermore, these prior art auxiliary seats were primarily designed for use in vehicles having bucket-type seats, rather than the split-bench type seating arrangements which are preferred by modern consumers.
Consequently, there remains a need in the art for a robust split-bench type seating system for a vehicle which includes one or more storage compartments which are readily accessible by the vehicle driver while operating the vehicle and which compliments the interior of the vehicle.